BMW shows X3M and X4M prototypes

September 9, 2018, 11:41 amby Ben Hsu

The pair were revealed at a DTM race this weekend.

Prototypes of BMW's X3M and X4M crossovers made their first public appearance at this weekend's DTM race at the Nürburgring. Both were driven on the track in front of thousands of race fans, albeit in camouflage.

BMW claims they are still "at early stage of their development phase," but that the larger air intake, quad tailpipes and revised aero will make it into production. The pair will be powered by a new family of high-revving, turbocharged, inline-six engines, but BMW has not revealed any details.

The high-performance crossovers will also adopt a version of the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system. In the M5 sedan, the system operates with rear wheel bias most of the time, but torque can be sent to the wheels at either end when needed. There's also a RWD mode that puts 100 percent to the rear, allowing for tire-burning smoke shows if desired.

"With their M specific performance characteristics, the BMW X3 M and the BMW X4 M will set benchmarks in terms of dynamics in their respective vehicle segment," said BMW's M division head Frank van Meel.